Integrateddoublemulchingpracticesoptimizessoil.PDFVIP

Int J Biometeorol (2016) 60:1423–1437 DOI 10.1007/s00484-016-1134-y ORIGINAL PAPER Integrated double mulching practices optimizes soil temperature and improves soil water utilization in arid environments Wen Yin 1,2 Fuxue Feng1 Cai Zhao1,2 Aizhong Yu1,2 Falong Hu1,2 Qiang Chai1,2 Yantai Gan1,3 Yao Guo 1,2 Received: 30 December 2014 /Revised: 13 December 2015 /Accepted: 8 January 2016 /Published online: 26 January 2016 # ISB 2016 Abstract Water shortage threatens agricultural sustainability cm depth by 1.26 to 1.31 °C in the strips of the cool-season in many arid and semiarid areas of the world. It is unknown wheat, and by 1.31 to 1.51 °C in the strips of the warm-season whether improved water conservation practices can be devel- maize through the 2 years. Soil temperature of maize strips oped to alleviate this issue while increasing crop productivity. higher as 1.25 to 1.94 °C than that of wheat strips in the top In this study, we developed a Bdouble mulching^ system, i.e., 10-cm soil depth under intercropping with the double plastic film coupled with straw mulch, integrated together mulching system; especially higher as 1.58 to 2.11 °C under with intensified strip intercropping. We determined (i) the re- intercropping with the conventional tillage; this allows the two sponses of soil evaporation and moisture conservation to the intercrops to grow in a well Bcollaborative^ status under the integrated double mulching system and (ii) the change of soil double mulching system during their co-growth period. The temperature during key plant growth stages under the integrat- improvement of soil moisture and the optimization of soil ed systems. Experiments were carried out in northwest China temperature for the two intercrops allow us to conclude that in 2009 to 2011. Results show that wheat-maize strip wheat-maize intensification with the double mulching system intercropping in combination with plastic film and straw cov- can be used as an effective far